A tattered umbrella in the rain
Govt has promulgated an ordinance intending to award the death penalty to child rapists when the debate on capital punishment is yet to reach a logical end. The country is witnessing an environment where even the opponents of capital punishment will find it difficult to object. After the brutal rape and murder of an eight year old girl in Kathua, multitude of such cases the are being reported across the country. Newspapers are knocking at the door, their articles filled with rape and murder.
In the Nirbhaya case an adult woman was raped, but now, people are cursed to read the reports of rape of an eight month old female infant. The govt doesn’t seem to have the wherewithal to prevent this. After the Kathua horror, such kind of articles are all you see on the front pages of the papers. Internationally too, it is damaging India’s reputation. International leaders including UN chief, António Guterres are condemning the Govt. of India.
In such trying times, the one way the Govt has found to fend off international criticism is to propagate the said ordinance. This ordinance has evoked mixed responses across the country; particularly the clause that suggests capital punishment for raping the girls under 12.
Is it the assumption of the Govt that raping girls above 12 is okay? What is the difference between brutes who rapes an 11 year old and 13 year old?
The law states that it is a criminal offence to marry a girl below 18 years. Even sex with consent with minors is in the ambit of rape. In such a context is it not a heinous crime if a brute rapes and murders a girl above 12?
Though the extent of punishment for the rape against girls above 12 has been increased, it fails to provide effective punishment to the violence perpetrated.
In a country like India the rape is essentially an attack on the very dignity of a woman. The perpetrator need not be lust filled character. Rape has been used as a tool to destroy the character , personality and deny a woman’s right to live in this country. This is not merely a physical attack, but a psychological attack too. Yes, even if a man’s limbs and hands are severed, he can yet live a dignified life in Indian society.
But if a raped woman tries to lead an honorable life, there are further attacks on her. Our legal system perceives rape as mere physical violence, the culprits manage to escape from the clutches of law easily. But the woman continues to be punished in various manner throughout her life. Whether the accused is punished or not, the society ensures that the victim is punished with a “Life sentence”.
In such a scenario, A rape is part of manslaughter to destroy the right to live and a ruthless design to destroy her individuality and personality. In other words, rape is a much gruesome crime than murder that impacts women. The country has seen how the upper strata had used rape to oppress dalits. Khairlanji is a classic example of such an act. This was not only a crime against a family, but also was a warning, for the rest of the dalit community.
During the Gujarat communal violence, rape was not only inflicted by lustful men. Even in Kathua, the perpetrators of the crime against a hapless child of eight were not only driven by lust, they were also communal fanatics. Their cruel violence was not only against a female, but against a community. Let us not be fooled to believe that after this ordinance, hordes of criminals accused of rape will be hanged in a row.. If we look at the conviction rate of the existing law, we will be deeply disappointed.
It is obvious that law and order has failed miserably in handling sensitive cases like rape. Recently The Govt has tried to dilute an existing Law under the pretext that it is being misused. While the atrocities against Dalits are increasing day by day, the Govt has not deemed it fit to see if the law is being implemented effectively. Instead it is showing unusual haste in diluting the act. With such a context how are we to feel assured that the Govt will push for a serious act for rape too?
Even the judiciary has worried more about misuse of women's safety laws,rather than worrying about its effective implementation.
There is an anti Dowry act, yet has it succeeded in stopping Dowry?
In crimes against children, the case should be registered instantly and the evidence should be collected posthaste. But the country witnessed just how this was thwarted in Kathua. Initially the case was hushed up;The Police had declared that no rape was committed. Only after a special investigation. the horrendous crime was brought to light.
The lawyers had taken to streets and urged that a charge sheet should not be presented against the accused.
In such a society, Is it easy to prove the rape against the children?
When a Govt is indirectly involved in hushing up the crime, and the Prime Minister of a country maintains a studied silence on that, how do we believe that the present Ordinance will be a deterrent to rape in a way?
It is as if the Govt providing a tattered umbrella when it is raining cats and dogs.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
India, US trade team to start three-day talks from Dec 10: Sources
New Delhi (PTI): India and the United States will commence three-day talks on the first phase of their proposed bilateral trade agreement here from December 10, sources said.
The visit is crucial as India and the US are working to finalise the first tranche of the pact.
"The three-day talks will start on December 10. It will conclude on December 12, and it is not a formal round of talks," said one of the sources.
The US team will be led by Deputy United States Trade Representative (USTR) Rick Switzer.
This visit of the US officials marks their second trip since the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff and an additional 25 per cent penalty on Indian goods entering the American market due to the purchase of Russian crude oil.
On September 16, the US officials last visited India.
On September 22, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal also led an official delegation to the US for trade talks. Goyal had also visited Washington in May.
While the USA's chief negotiator for the pact is Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch, the Indian side is led by Joint Secretary in the Department of Commerce Darpan Jain.
The talks are also important as Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal has recently stated that India is hopeful of reaching a framework trade deal with the US this year itself, which should address the tariff issue to the benefit of Indian exporters.
While noting that the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) will take time, Agrawal has added that India is engaged in protracted negotiations with the US on a framework trade deal that will address the reciprocal tariff challenge faced by Indian exporters.
India and the US are having two parallel negotiations -- one on a framework trade deal to address tariffs and another on a comprehensive trade deal.
In February, leaders of the two countries directed officials to negotiate an agreement.
It was planned to conclude the first tranche of the pact by the fall of 2025. So far, six rounds of negotiations have been held. The agreement aims to more than double bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030, from the current USD 191 billion.
The US remained India's largest trading partner for the fourth consecutive year in 2024-25, with bilateral trade valued at USD 131.84 billion (USD 86.5 billion exports).
The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India's total goods exports, 6.22 per cent of its imports, and 10.73 per cent of its total merchandise trade.
According to exporters, the agreement is important as India's merchandise exports to the US declined for the second consecutive month in October, falling by 8.58 per cent to USD 6.3 billion due to the hefty tariffs imposed by Washington.
